Cap for collapsible tubes



Patented Feb. 27, `1951 4UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Phineas A. Brock, Windsor, N. C.

Application September 6, 1946, Serial No. 695,254

This invention relates to non-removable caps for tooth paste and shaving cream tubes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap for tooth paste and shaving cream tubes which need not be removed to extract the paste or cream therefrom.

It is another object of the invention to eliminate the possibility of losing tube caps by the same being dropped into the drain in the lavatory or in some inaccessible place within the room where the cap is removed.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a non-removable cap a closure portion which is automatically retained in both its open and closed positions and which will be snapped from oneposition to the other.

According to the invention, the original cap on the tube is removed and discarded and the present cap structure which may be obtained at the drug store as a separate item is secured in place on the threaded outlet from where the original cap was removed. The contents of the tube are thereafter squeezed through the new structure. To make the engagement of the structure, there is provided internal threads which are threaded over the external thread on the tube outlet structure. Extending laterally from one side of the threaded portion are lugs laterally spaced from one another between which are extended lug portions extending downwardly from a laterally extending portion of a closure element adapted to cooperate with the top of the main portion of the structure to close its opening. The lug portions of both the main part of the cap and of the closure element are hinged together by a through pivot pin so that the closure element can be pivoted between open and closed positions. An upwardly extending handle is provided at the end of the lateral extension on the closure element by which a thumb can engage to open or close the closure element. The closure element or cap with its projections are so formed that it can be made from blank stock by a stamping operation. Between the two lugs of the main part of the structure and to the vertically extending wall thereof there is connected for downward expansion a leaf spring. This spring engages one portion of the projection extending downwardly from the closure element and serves as a spring catch to hold the closure element in its closed position and while cooperating with another portion of the closure element projection will hold the closure element in the raised position.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the 1 claim. (creed-35) following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is the top plan view of the present replaceable closure structure embodying the features of the present invention,

Figure 2 is an elevational View of the closure structure with the Vclosure element in its closed position, i

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional View, in elevation, taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof, and showing the snap spring catch for retaining the closure element in the closed position on the main part of the structure.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the cap for collapsible tubes, constructed according to an embodiment of this invention, showing the closure element in its raised position.

Referring now to the figures, I 0 represents the cap structure in its entirety. This structure IG comprises a main part I I having internal threads I2 by which the structure is connected to a threaded spout or opening end I3 of a collapsible tube I4. As the original cap is removed from the tube I4 it is replaced by the structure III. The structure further comprises a pivoted closure element or part I5 adapted to be opened from its normally closed position shown in Figures 2 and 3 to an open position shown in Figure 4. In both of these positions, the closure element will be automatically locked against a movement to one position or the other, The manner in which this is effected will be presently described.

The main part II which is screwed upon the threaded open end of the tube has two laterally spaced lugs I6 and Il at one side thereof. On the outer wall of the part I I and between the lugs I6 and I'I, there is suspended from near the top edge thereof by a pin I8 a bent up, outwardly-extending, V-shaped snap leaf spring I9 adapted to be compressed by engagement with a corner portion 2I thereof. As the spring I9 is compressed its free lower end will slide downwardly upon. the side wall of the part II.

The closure element I5 has a laterally extending portion 22 with bent down side lugs 24, one at each side of the extension which are pivoted on a pin 25 extending between the lugs II and I'I of the main part. The length of the inner side edge (Figure 3) of each of the lugs 24 is greater than that of the outer side edge, whereby the straight lower edge merges with the forward edge at an acute angle to provide a toe 2'I and joins the rear edge with an obtuse angle to pro- 3 vide a heel 29. This arrangement locates the toe 21 further from the pivot 25 than is the heel 29. The length and shape of these projections 24 is such that the lower inner side edge portions thereof below pivot 25 will be engaged by the corner portion 2| of the spring I9 whereby to urge the lugs and the closure element I5 in a clockwise direction and retain the same over the tube opening. e Y

In order tolraise thelclosure elenietQIB''theI-toe portion 21 mus/t be moved past the'cprrer'pbrtion 2| of the spring I9. While this is done the spring I9 will be temporarily compressed. However, as soon as the toe 21 has cleared-fthe spring point or apex 2|, the latter bears onwthe inclined bottom edge of each lug wherebyekparsimof the spring tends to snap open-theelosure, .-Asthe -c-losure approaches the Figure 4 position, 'the spring is again compressed, but to a lesserdege than at rst, so that but slight additional presrsu're is requredctoiurgeheeleZ'B pastrtheypbintzl of the spring. Thereafter, jf expansive pressure -ofY theaspring f on the z outer :side: edge of the-lug n2.4.:1tends tpositivel-y furgeftlre; closureftowardythe open position. On the eXtensionfwZZ Ais -za'iprojection? 28 which extends upwardly-for? engagement by-the thumbl ofik theluser :of: fthe tube. Thefthumb is placed on the projection 28 and pressed Adownwardlywhile thei-,tubedsjfheld iii-the samehand to Y'freetheiprojections 24 of thefspring -I 9.

`After-the r,closure1element)hasg|caeen-raised to l ythe full -openfyposition as aforesaid, 4the -thumb Vcan beremouedffromgthe projection 28 and-.ap plied to the tube to collapse thesarneyandfcause the extrusionof its contents. jo 'returnY-closure element |3 tor-its closing .-positionfheelportion 4Zof eaoh-ofthelugs lfqvmust bef-.snapped bythe Vspring 4-as also must eachpointed .portion-ZI-of the lugs. A depending ange 3| isforined onthe closure element Y Land-will surround tlraton of the .part -II when the-closure element-isdn its Y extending, transversely-spaced-apart lugs on'one "'side thereof and a closure element including a dpendjrggflugspivoted between said spaced-apart lugs, a V-shaped at spring xed at one end on ""saidcap'between said spaced-apart lugs and ex- Q @tending @outwardly :,therebetween, the free end of .said lspring being slidable on said cap upon l' compression of said spring, and a downwardly and inwardly-inclined edge on said depending lug I.den-mrtg=spaced.heel and etbeportionsfengageable with theifiar're'x` aofssaidaspring. forffbia'singxs'aidf-clo'- -sure eiementetortheiopen' and 'ciosed-ypivctedpositions. ,e

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